and how it figures into my leadership
This week, I transition from Italy opera fashion to Ski Chalet fashion.
I’m back from a week in Sicily. The main event was a performance at the Palermo Opera House. I parlayed the trip into a solo vacation for the week. I’ve become a ‘we’ in the last 5 years, and so vacations are typically with my partner. I host adventures as part of my leadership programming for my women’s platform, so I’m perennially in service of groups of 7 or 30. To walk the cobble stoned streets of Palermo alone, with just my thoughts to keep me warm, was tremendous. Ideas fluttered up as I dined alone. My journal pages filled with solutions unrealized. I marveled and marveled at things, living both my top values of adventure and beauty.
This weekend, myself and a few members of my women’s leadership platform head upstate to ring in Martin Luther King weekend with some good ol fashioned skiing and snow hiking.
Contrary to belief, ski trips don’t have to break the bank. Here is what I planned ahead and am packing
Base Layers. Uniqlo Heat-Tech Innerwear has always served me well for ice hikes and past ski adventures. I have no idea how the company makes the high neck t-shirt ($29.90) and the leggings so thin($24.90), but I don’t care. It works.
Mid-layer. Patagonia makes this mid layer puff jacket ($229) that carries me from slope to dinner. I bought it years ago, and its probably my most versatile and expensive purchase.
Ski Jacket and Insulated Pants. Upstate New York is two words: HELLA COLD. I dated a man from Oswego and recall our car thawing out only 3 hours into the drive. My hack for buying skigear is Sierra. The website sells name brands like Marmot, Columbia, Bogner at bargain basement prices. I traded my usual ‘New York black’ for color with the purchase of this “Dare2B Exulting Ski Jacket ($43)” and “Rawik Storm Snow Pants ($22).”
Ski Gaiter. My flouncy Paris scarves ain’t cutting it if I’m huffing and puffing through a snow hike. I bought this NovForth neck warmer off Amazon ($14)
Boots. Divya said, “Bring snow boots. There’s lots of it.” Columbia offers ‘Omni-tech heat’ technology on many of its products. Warmth, plus style. Bought these boots on Zappos ($89)
Sunglasses. Granted, you could blow a bundle of cash with Celine sunglasses. But Sunski offers the same wind and sunglare protection with style. I bought these “Treeline” glasses for $89.
Socks. Bombas does the job with these heavyweight Merino Wool Ski & Snowboard Socks in Bird Blue ($30)
Note: I didn’t get any sponsorship deals by mentioning any of the brands above
Folks ask, “Joya, why so obsessed with what you will wear.”
As I learned in TV and later in sales training as an entrepreneur, prepare for every scenario.
Have it in your toolbox. Then, its much easier to get down to the business of doing the THING you set out to do.
I host a #mastermindgroup for women leaders. And I do leadership with an element of adventure. This year we head to Copenhagen, Tuscany, Turkey. Apply here https://bit.ly/3WURgN5
